A topic that has concerned me for a long time is the challenging conditions for basic research in Norway. In our “faggruppe”, Microbiology, most of the work is focused on basic research, which is also the case for many other research groups and “faggrupper” at Bio and on a national level. Funding for this type of research has been limited for many years, and the situation seems to be deteriorating, despite the issue being well-known and discussed for decades.
“Å spare seg til fant” is a Norwegian proverb meaning cutting costs in a way that ultimately leads to greater loss. Often, it is not wise for long-term economic health to cut costs in the short term. Norway lags behind both our Nordic neighbors and many other European countries when it comes to investment in research—especially in basic research. This is problematic because basic research, in addition to having intrinsic value, forms the foundation for new technological breakthroughs and innovations.
Our neighboring countries, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, have for a long time invested large sums in research and development. For example, Sweden spends as much as 3.4% of its GDP on research, while in Norway, we spend only about 2%. Sweden has made significant strides, especially in biological research, with groundbreaking work in genetics and biotechnology that has earned them several Nobel prizes.
While Norway has invested heavily in petroleum research, we have lagged behind in other important research fields. I maintain good contact with some French research groups, and they tell me that France has built strong research environments through institutes like IFREMER and CNRS, with a significant focus on everything from mathematics to biology. However, Norway lacks the same systematic approach to basic research.
Many other European countries are also making significant investments in research. Countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland understand the value of supporting both basic and applied research. In Norway, on the other hand, research policy seems more random and short-term—we lack large, long-term plans.
For Norway to tackle the major challenges of the future, such as climate change, health crises, and digitalization, we must significantly increase research budgets.
Have a nice weekend
Ruth-Anne